Lavrov names lack of dialogue on Syria as deadlock

According to the minister, he was surprised at the fact that by having read the Coalition leader’s statement

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Фото ЕРА/ИТАР-ТАСС

MOSCOW, December 29 (Itar-Tass) — The fact that the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces refuses to hold a dialogue with the government leads to the deadlock, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

After the talks with U.N./LAS Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi on Saturday, Lavrov said, “When the National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces was formed up we said the Coalition’s platform [approved at the Doha meeting] has no compromise and its goal was to overthrow the regime and destroy its institutions that run counter the Geneva agreements. The Coalition also said it refused to hold any dialogue with the Syrian regime.”

“We are convinced that this is the deadlock and that the current situation will degrade. External opposition members, including the Coalition, will be unable to have any influence upon the armed struggle inside Syria. We’d like to avoid this scenario.” “That is why through our partners, including American and European colleagues, who have influence upon the Coalition, gave signals over the need to give up such unconstructive policy and uphold the Geneva Communique principles,” the Russian foreign minister pointed out.

“Moreover, we realise that the issue is too serious and we’d like to inform the Coalition’s leaders about our position. Corresponding contacts with the representatives of the Coalition, including Mr. Al Khatyb, were held within the Russian Embassy in Egypt.” “We expressed readiness to meet with him in Moscow. Then he preferred a neutral country and we are ready for this,” Lavrov said.

According to the minister, he was surprised at the fact that by having read the Coalition leader’s statement saying he was ready to meet if Moscow changed its position and gave official apologises.

“I realise that maybe, Mr. Al Khatyb is not too sophisticated in politics. If he claims the role of serious politician, he will understand that to hear our analysis from ourselves is in his own interests,” Lavrov stressed.